Football shoe



Feb. 8, 1938. J. H. HERMsoN FOOTBALL SHOE Filed June 29, 1937 INVENTOR dnB/wa( ATTO NEYS Patented Feb. 8, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FOOTBALL SHOE poration of New Jersey Application June 29, 1937, Serial No. 150,948

1 Claim.

The ultimate purpose to be served is the production of a shoe for the use of a football player in kicking which can be depended upon for accuracy under all conditions of use. To serve that purpose the impact surface of the toe of the shoe must be properly formed in order that distance as well as accuracy of night may be attained; the toe must remain unchanged in shape under all conditions of use; the shape of the under surface of the outsole must always be normal; the weight of the shoe must not be increased as compared with shoes intended for like use, but should rather be diminished; and seepage of water into the shoes, which may take Y place in other shoes intended for like use, must be prevented.

In accordance with the invention the shoe is provided with a toe cap formed from a blank of sole leather or similar substantially inexible material, of such shape that it can be molded or otherwise preformed and applied and secured to the shoe, the blank being so shaped that when molded it shall present a smooth kicking surface substantially perpendicular and iiush with the front edge of the shoe outsole, of suitable height and of suitable width, with its edges rounded and having a tab which enters between the sole and the outsole of the shoe and having wings at the sides of the toe portion of .the shoe.

An embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a view in perspective of a football kicking shoe provided with the improvement.

Figure 2 is a partial longitudinal section of the same through the toe portion.

Figure 3 is a View in transverse section on the plane indicated by the broken line 3-3 of Figure 2, some parts being broken away.

Figure 4 is a View in outline of the blank from which the toe cap is formed.

Figure 5 is a View of the toe cap blank in longitudinal section on the plane indicated by the broken line 5-5 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 shows in detached perspective views the several parts of the improved shoe toe.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated the shoe comprises a laced upper a, an inner sole b, and an outsole c, all of these parts being formed in any usual or suitable manner and of any suitable material, the upper being sufliciently flexible to accommodate the foot and particularly the toes of theuser. Applied to the toe portion of the upper is a toe cap d which is formed of a flat piece of sole leather or other substantially inflexible material which has a tab or body part d1, conforms in shape substantially to the toe part of the outsole c, and is chamfered to Va thin rear edge, as at d2, and has I a toe part al3 with lateral wings d4. This is attained, if necessary, as by soaking in water in the case of sole leather, and then molding to the form shown clearly in Figures 1, 2 and 3 that it may have a permanent set in a form adapted 10 to be applied to the toe part of the shoe. The portion of the toe cap formed by the parts d3, d4 is preferably channeled, as at d5, in order that the toe cap may be secured tightly to the upper a, and it is also channeled along its lower edge, 15 as at d6, in order that it may be secured tightly to the outsole c which is also channeled as at c1.

In assembling the toe cap and the shoe the tab d1 of the toe cap is introduced between the insole b and the outsole c and the cap is tightly 20 secured to the shoe by stitching or equivalent means from the channel c1 of the outsole to the channel d6 of the cap, through the tab d1 and the insole b. The structure is thus guarded against the possibility of seepage of water from 25 the outside, great strength and avoidance of deformation are attained, and the normal wear surface of the outsole is retained to the great advantage of the user, whose toes are only slightly and gradually lifted by the interposition of the 30 tapered tab between the insole and the outsole.

This construction permits the kicking contact surface, alforded by the part d3, to be substantially at right angles to the outsole c3. It will be understood that the lateral and the upper edges of the cap are rounded ofi" to prevent the possibility of imparting to the ball any undesired english. It will be observed that the toe part of the cap forms with the forward end of the outsole a continuous and uniform surface.

I claim as my invention:

A football shoe having an upper, an insole and an outsole and a toe cap molded in permanent form of substantially inflexible material and 5 having a bottom part or tab and a ball contact or kicking portion with lateral wings, the tab of the toe cap being introduced between the insole and the outsole, and the toe cap being secured to the body of the shoe by stitching through the 50 lateral wings of the toe cap, the insole, the tab, and the outsole.

JOHN H. HERMSON. 

